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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rest — a break
  3. object — an aim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rash — a series
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mug — a face
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mug — to rob
  18. object — to protest
  19. shower — rain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. shower — to wash
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com